Collapsible box.



PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

No, 79mm.

P. D, HALE.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 1 213.9. 190s.

arias I ATENT OFFIGE.

FRANK D. HALE, OF JEREEY CITY, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO- SEVENTHSTO JAMES A. MAI YES, 'IWVOEEVENTHS T0 FREDERICK DWIGHT, ANDONE-SEVENTIII TO EMERSON R. NEWELL, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

IUULIAPSIBLE DON.

Epecifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed February 9, 1905. Serial No. 244,900.

1'0 a ZUh/OTI'I/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK D. I-IALE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, New Jersey, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is aclear, full, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in collapsible boxes and myobject is to provide a box which may be readily collapsed, so as tooccupya small space, and which may be easily and quickly extended foruse.

Other subordinate advantages will be evident from the accompanyingdrawings and description.

My invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which show the preferred embodiment of my invention,Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box extended, the cover havingbeen removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the box partially collapsed.Fig. 3 is a detail view, and Fig. 4 a perspec tive view, of thecomp]etely-collapsed box and of the cover therefor.

In the above preferred embodiment I have provided a box having a mainportion consisting of sides A B C D, forming a tube, preferably havingboth ends open. These sides are llexibly joined together, so that theycan be folded or moved laterally toward each other. For example, two ormore sides may be formed from a single sheet of pasteboard with theedges of the sides rile-- lined by scored lines, so that the board willreadily bend on those lines. The corners may also be reinforced, ifdesired. I prefer to have these sides pern'lanently as well as flexiblyjoined together, so that although they can be folded together they arenot detachable from each other. The sides 0 D in this embodimentstanding opposite each other are each flexible on a line running fromtop to bottom thereof, the side U on line c and side D on line d, whichin this embodiment divide each of the sides into two substantially equalparts. Each of the sides C and D may therefore be doubled inward onitself, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, so that the main portion may becollapsed into a flattened form.

E is the bottom, preferably having the turned-up edge e, and the side Ais permanently but flexibly connected to the bottom, so that thecollapsed main portion may be folded down on the same. This I prefer toaccomplish by scoring the bottom transversely, as on line (2, so thatthe bottom will bend at that point, as shown in Fig. 3, and I havelocated this line at a distance from the the side A (e e in Fig. 3) atleast equal to and preferably greater than the thickness of the mainportion when collapsed, so that the main. portion can be easily foldeddown on the bottom. The turned-up edge e of the bottom may be slit at con each side, so that the parts will fold, as shown in Fig. 3. l/Vhenthe sides of the box are taller than the length of the bottom, they willproject beyond the bottom, as shown in Fig. l, in which. case I preferto make the distance 0 6 equal to the height of the turned-up edge (3plus the thickness of the main portion when collapsed, so that thedistance from the bottom to the side A in Fig. 4 will be the same at anypoint.

The cover fits over the top of the main portion when extended, as inFig. 1., and I preferably so proportion the parts that it willalsoinclose the main portion when collapsed, as shown in Fig. 4. In order tohold said main portion extended, I may provide a flexible fastening,such as a tape G, attached to one of the sides, in this case side I),near the bottom. of the same, as shown in Fig. 2. This tape may passthrough a guide, in this em.- bodiment a hole c, on turned-up edge (2and up through a guide (1 near its top, as shown in Fig. 1. This guidemay be a short tape d, tied through holes on either side of line (I, andtape G may be passed through two similarlyplaced holes near the lowerend of this line. A similar tape may be similarly attacl'ied to side Cand guided, if desired. When the tapes are pulled out, the box will beextended, and the tapes may be tied over the cover of the box, thusholding the box rigidly in shape.

L L are flexible meanssnch as tapes, for example-attached to twoopposite sides of the box for holding a hat in position in the box,which may be employed, if desired.

II is a collapsible holder for a hat which may be provided, if desired,and which will fold down upon the bottom E of the box.

K is a detent which may be provided, if desired, which when the box isto be distended, will receive the bottom of the side B between it andthe turned-up edge e and hold the boxtube distended before the tapes aredrawn taut.

I am'aware that many changes may be made in the constructions describedand illustrated above without departing from the spirit of my invention,and therefore I do not desire to be limited to the embodiment hereindisclosed.

That I claim is 1. In a collapsible box in combination, a main portioncomposed of a plurality of sides flexibly joined together at their edgesto form a tube, whereby said sides are laterally movable toward eachother and collapsed, a bottom with turned-up edges, one of said sidesbeing permanently but flexibly joined to said bottom whereby saidcollapsed main portion may be folded down upon and within said bottomhaving turned-up edges, and a cover adapted to fit over said mainportion.

2. In a collapsible box in combination, a main portion composed of aplurality of sides flexibly joined together at their edges to form atube, whereby said sides are laterally movable toward each other andcollapsed, a bottom with turned-up edges, one of said sides beingpermanently but flexibly joined to said bottom whereby said collapsedmain portionmay be folded down upon and within said bottom having turnedup edges, a cover adapted to fit over said main portion, and means tohold said main portion extended.

3. In a collapsible box in combination, a'

bottom, a main portion having a plurality of sides flexibly oinedtogether into a tube whereby the same may be collapsed, one sin gle sidebeing permanently joined to said bottom, said bottom being flexible on aline running across the same near said side whereby said bottom may bendat said line and said collapsed main portion be thereby folded down onthe upper side of the rest of said bottom.

4. In a collapsible box in combination, a bottom, a main portion havinga plurality of sides flexibly but permanently joined together into atube whereby the same may be collapsed, one single side beingpermanently joined to said bottom, said bottom being flexible on a linerunning across the same near said side but at a distance from said sideat least equal to the thickness of said main portion when collapsed,whereby said bottom may bend at said line and said collapsed mainportion be therebyfolded down on the upper side of the rest of saidbottom.

5. In a collapsible box in combination, a bottom, a main portion havinga plurality of sides flexibly but permanently joined together into atube whereby the same may be collapsed, one of said sides beingpermanently joined to said bottom, said bottom being flexible on a linerunning across the same near said side but at a distance from said sideat least equal to the thickness of said main portion when collapsed,whereby said bottom may bend at said line and said collapsed mainportion be folded down on the upper side of the rest of said bottom, anda cover for said main portion adapted to inclose the main portion whencollapsed and also when extended.

6. In a collapsible box in combination, a main portion having four planesides flexibly joined together whereby the same may be folded towardeach other, each of two opposite sides being flexible on a line runningfrom top to bottom thereof whereby each may be doubled inward on itselfbetween the adjacent sides and said main portion collapsed, anon-collapsible bottom having a turned-up edge, a flexible fasteningattached to one of said two opposite sides near the lower edge of thesame and adapted to pass through a guide on said bottom, a guide carriedby said side and located above said first guide and adapted to receivesaid fastening, and a cover for said main portion adapted to inclose thesame when extended.

7. In a collapsible box in combination, a main portion having four planesides permanently but flexibly joined together whereby the same may befolded toward each other, each of two opposite sides being flexible on aline running from top to bottom thereof whereby each may be doubledinward on itself between the adjacent sides and the said main portioncollapsed, a non collapsible bottom having a turned-up edge, a flexiblefastening attached to one of said two opposite sides near the lower edgeof the same and adapted to pass through a guide in said turned-up edge,a second guide carried by said side near its top and a so near said line'therethrough and adapted to receive said rastening, and a cover forsaid main portion adapted to inclose the same when collapsed and alsowhen extended.

8. In a collapsible box in combination, a main portion having four planesides flexibly joined together whereby the same may be folded towardeach other, each of two opposite sides being flexible on a line runningfrom top to bottom thereof whereby each may be doubled inward on itselfbetween the adjacent sides and said main portion collapsed, anon-collapsible bottom having av turned-up edge, a flexible fasteningattached to one of said two opposite sides near the lower edge of thesame and adapted to pass through a guide on said bottom, a guide carriedby said side and located above said first guide and adapted to receivesaid fastening, Signed at 514 Broadway this 17th day of a cover for saidmain portion adapted to in- September, 1904. close the same Whenextended, one oi the FRANK D HALE sides of said main portion beingpermanently but flexibly joined to said bottom whereby Witnesses:

said main portion when collapsed may be WILLIAM C. BLAKENEY, folded downon said bottom. VVILLIAMI C. KENMURE.

